There’s something about a quiet city elopement that always pulls me in. No giant production, and no packed timeline. Just two people fully present with each other, dressed up for the best day of their lives while the city moves around them. I’ll never stop being inspired by days like this day at the Missouri Athletic Club.
Being a St. Louis film wedding photographer is truly my dream job. When I look at these photos and think back to this day, I feel nothing but incredibly grateful.
The second Naazane + Matthew stepped out of that vintage white Rolls Royce, I knew this day was going to be special.
I captured their day at Missouri Athletic Club both on film and digital.
Digital captured the movement and the energy. While film captured the feeling and the softness. The nostalgia, if you will. The little in-between moments that already felt like memories while I was photographing them.
One of my favorite things about this day was how editorial everything was. But still deeply rooted in the personal aspects. That can be a tough balance to strike, but they pulled it off perfectly.
Naazane wore the most timeless tea-length gown with a square neckline and classic white heels that honestly looked pulled from an old Vogue spread. Matthew kept things classic in a black tuxedo. Together, they were the picture of elegance.
Inside the Missouri Athletic Club, every room was cinematic.
The dark wood walls, marble columns, dramatic drapery, and vintage artwork created so much depth and mood. I barely had to direct anything because the space already carried so much atmosphere on its own.
But what I loved most was how relaxed they were together.
They laughed constantly. They leaned into each other naturally. Their ceremony was a quiet and private affair, with only a few of their closest people there. This whole elopement was so intentional and full of meaning.
Why I Always Include Film in My Wedding Packages
Film photographs emotion differently than digital. That’s the best way I can explain it.
It keeps the grain. The softness. The authenticity. It doesn’t try to perfect every detail, and I actually love that. Years from now, I don’t think couples will care if every image looked technically flawless. I think they’ll care about whether it felt real.
That’s exactly why I include film in every elopement I photograph.
After toasts & portraits inside the club, we wandered outside into downtown St. Louis with the vintage Rolls Royce parked along the curb.
The black-and-white images from outside honestly feel straight out of an old film scene to me. Chic architecture. Empty sidewalks. A classic getaway car.
I mean… it’s gorgeous.
Even the evening light seemed to be showing off for us. A soft haze, the graininess from the film scans… it all came together in the most cohesive gallery I got to deliver for these two.
That’s the magic of photographing elopements this way. I’m never chasing perfection. I’m chasing feeling. And as your St. Louis wedding photographer, I always will be.
